Process of regenerating exhaled air for respiration purposes.



No. 795,679. I PATBNTED JUL-Y 25, 1905.

. v M. BAMBERGER, F. BUCK & 'P. WANZ. PROCESS OF REGBNERATING EXHALED AIR FOR RESPIRATION PURPOSES.

API LIUATION FILED JULY 13, 1904- 'trnrrnn sra'rns earner GREECE,

MAX BAMBERGER, FRIEDRICH BCOK, AND FRIEDRICH VVANZ, OF VIENNA,

AUSTRIA-HUNGARY.

PROCESS or REGENERATING EXHALED AIR FOR RESPIRATION PURPOSES.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, Max BAMBERGER, pro- I fessor at the Polytechnical University of Viexact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appcrtains'tomalu; and use the same.

Our invention relates to a process ofregenerating exhaled air for respiration purposes. in our process exhaled air, which besides nitrogen and a reduced quantity of oxygen contains vapor of water and carbonic dioxid,

(the latter two forming the products of respiration,) is passed through a porous layer of alkali peroxid, such as potassium tetroxid (1(204) or sodium bioxid (Nago or potassium sodium peroxid (KN-(L03). While the exhaled air passes through the alkali peroxid, thus coming into intimate contact therewith, a reaction takes place in which the alkali peroxid is reduced and gives off oxygen, which mingles with the oxygen and nitrogen of the exhaled air and escapes together with them, and, on the other hand, the vapor of water and the carbonic dioxid combine with the alkali oxid resulting from such reduction to form alkali hydroxid and alkali carbonate, respectively, as is shown by the following chemical equations:

formed by the action of carbonic dioxid on alkali hydroxid to retain any water. 'lhere- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 13, 1904. Serial No. 216,43 t.

Patented July 25, 1905.

fore the action of carbonic dioxid contained in the exhaled air on the alkali hydroxid formed by the action of the water-vapors of the exhaled air on the alkali peroxid will result in setting free a corresponding amount of water, as will be seen from the following equation:

which water will in turn decompose a corresponding quantity of alkali peroxid, producing oxygen and alkali hydroxid, as above explained.

It will be seen that the carbonic dioxid that was contained in the exhaled air, as also the vapor of water, is entirely absorbed by or combined with alkali oxid, while, on the other hand, the oxygen evolved during the reaction is added to the nitrogen and oxygen of the exhaled air. The amount of oxygen thus added depends on the nature of the alkali peroxid used. In the case of potassium tetroxid it is, notably greater and in the case of potassium sodium peroxid slightly greater, but in the case of sodium peroxid smaller than the amount of oxygen that was contained in the carbonic dioxid and the vapor of water oi the exhaled air. Therefore by mixing the alkali peroxids above named in suitable proportions We can so arrange that the amount of oxygen added to the exhaled air by the above reactions is exactly the same that was contained in the carbonic dioxid and vapor of water of the exhaled air. The latter will then after having passed through the alkali peroxid be entirely free from carbonic dioxid and vapor of water and will contain nitrogen and oxyggen in exactlyzthe same proportions as the natural atmospheric air, or, in other words, the exhaled air will be regenerated or transformed 1nto atmospheric air free from any 'contamination. The air thus regenerated In many may be inhaled again directly. cases it Wlll be found advantageous to use sodium peroxid alone, which, as above set forth, does not add to the exhaled air the total amount of oxygen required, and to mix the air after having passed through the sodium peroxid and before being inhaled again with oxygen obtained from a separate source.

In any case this process is self-regulating in so far as the amount of oxygen added exactly corresponds to the amount of carbonic dioxid and vapor'of water contained in the air exhaled irrespective of the irregularities that may occur.

In the accompanying drawing an apparatus for regenerating exhaled air in the manner 5 glass-wool, or other refractory filtering ma 1 terial, held in position between partitions of perforated sheet metal or wire-gauze.

F is a tube leading into a dome F on the top end of the receptacle and adapted to'be connected with a mask or other suitable respiratory apparatus.

H is a bag of suitable air-tight material connected by a short tube G to the central space L in the chamber B.

J is a short tube connecting the water-tube D with the interior of the chamber B.

K is a pipe connecting thespace L with: the interior of the chamber B.

l 2 3 4 are partitions of sheet-lead or other similar suitable material, the partition 1 separating the dome from the filter E, the par-- tition 2 closing the top end of the tube D,. the partition 3 separating the lower end of the tube I) from the tube J, and the partition 4 separating the central space L from the tube G.

5 6 7 8 are perforating cones at the lower ends of rods 9, 1O, 11, and 12, respectively, and resting against the upper sides of the partitions 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively. The said rods are suitably guided, so that they are always in alinement. The upper end of the rod 9 extends out of the dome F and is provided with any suitable means for depressing the same, while the upper ends of rods 11. and 12 rest against the lower sides of partitions 2 and 3, respectively. I

13 is a cap adapted to snugly fit the top end of the tube D and held against the lower side of the partition 1 by the upper end of rod 10.

M is a free space between the filter E and the top of chamber B.

The chamber 0 is charged with alkali peroxid, preferably sodium peroxid or a mixture of sodium peroxid and potassium tetroxid, and also chamber B is charged with alkali peroxid, and tube D is iiiled with water. The partitions 1' 2 3 4 and the rods 9 L!) 11 12 are brought into the position shown, the said parl titions being soldered or otherwise secured in place, so that they make an air-tight joint and prevent the alkali peroxid in chambers B and (J from coming into contact with air 5 or moisture and the rfzitcr in tube D from i I evaporating. The apparatus can then be kept ready for use for an .indelinite length of time.

When the apparatus has to be used, the tube F is connected with the mask or respiration apparatus of the user, such mask or respiration apparatus constituting the brea thing-space, and then the rod .1 is depressed.

whereby also the rods 10, 11, and IQare forced downward. The partitions 1. 2, 3, and 4 are perforated simultaneously. The water from the tube Dflows through the hole in the partition 3 into the chamber B, where it reacts on the alkali peroxid contained therein, so that oxygen is evolved, which escapes through the pipe K, the hole in the partition 4:, and tube G into the bag H. it being prevented from escaping through the pipe I) by the cap 13 closing the top end of the same. The air exhaled by the user passes through the tube F a'iid the perforation in the partition 1 into thofilter E and thence through the chamber U, charged with alkali peroxid, and the filter E into the space M. In the chamber 0 the above-described reaction between the car- -bonic dioxid and vapor of water contained in the exhaled air and the alkali peroxid takes place, whereby the exhaled air is enriched in oxygen. The oxygen contained in the bag H serves to compensate for any irregularities in the reaction and breathing and to furnish any oxygen required beyond that supplied by the reaction taking place in the chamber C. On inhaling again, the previously-exhaled air, onriched in oxygen, and thus regenerated, goes back through filter E chamber C, and filter 1' to the tube F,.'the last traces of vapor of water and carbonic dioxid being thereby removed with absolute certainty. The filters prevent any particles of alkali peroxid or hydroxid or carbonate from entering into the tube F.

By the process-just described a person can remain and breathe freely .in any locality lined with obnoxious or poisonous gases as long as alkali peroxid is contained in the chamber C; but when the alkali peroxid is exhausted the products of reaction (alkali carbonate and a small quantity of alkali hydroxid) have to be removed from the chamber U, and this chamber has to be filled again with alkali peroxid. Thislwill, however, be possible only under exceptional conditions. In the majority of cases the receptacleA will be removed and thrown away and replaced by afresh one after the contents of the chamber C are exhausted.

The apparatus star carrying out our process is very cheap and simple in construction and very efficient and reliable in operation, (there being no valves at all in the apparatus,) and besides it can be made so lightand of so small a volume that it can be carried by a person without interfering with his free movements. Indeed, an apparatus of about thrce-and-onehalf pounds in weight will furnish an amount of oxygen sulficient for forty minutes breathing. Therefore this apparatus is particularly useful for miners, firemen, and in similar cases. I

W e are aware that it has been proposed to re encrate vitiated air by causing predetermined quantities of alkali peroxid to drop successively into Water contained in a closed chamber and by causing the vitlated air to p ss through such chamber, so that it mixes i h the oxygen there produced, the carbonic dioxid co tained in such vitiated air being absorbed by the caustic-alkali solution formed by the reaction between the alkali peroxid and the water. In contradistinction thereto We cause the exhaled air itself to pass through the alkali peroxid, so as to cause the vapors of Water and the carbonic dioxid contained therein to aotdirectly upon the alkali peroxid and so to produce the oxygen required for regenerating the exhaled air, totally or in great part, by this exhaled air itself. in other "Words we utilize for regenerating the exhaled an its vitusting elements t mselves, thus not the vitiated air connected with! the introduction of successive portions of alkali peroxid the exhaled air to pass through a porous layer of alkali peroxid or peroxide and then to return to the breathing-space through the same porous layer of alkali peroxid or peroxids, substantially as describedg 3. A process for regenerating exhaled air for respiration purposes consisting in causing the exhaled air to pass through a porous layer of alkali peroxid or peroxids mixing it with oxygen derived from a separate source and,

then causing the mixture to return to the breathing-space through the same porous layer of alkali peroxid or peroxide, substantially as described.

in testimony whereof We affix our signatures in presence of twowitnesses.

MAX BAMeneens. riunneicu Bocx. riunnnicn WANZ.

. Witnesses:

Gnonuns Kuncn, Anvusro S. Hounn. 

